Tag Archives: Yesterday

That’s right! This is a letter confirming I have been accepted as an exhibitor at this year’s Alternative Press Expo (APE), October 12th and 13th at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center. I am ecstatic! 😀

So if you’re in the Bay Area this October, please come visit me at The Poet and the Flea Market, table/booth 908B.

Today — Elena, Laura and I explored the William Blake historic sites. We met at Piccadilly Circus and walked over to Saint James’s Church, where Blake was baptized. The baptismal font is still there, with very intricate carvings of Adam and Eve. It’s amazing to think that Blake was once a baby who could fit in that font!

St. James’s Church.

A Blake quote welcoming visitors of St. James’s.

Another side of St. James’s.

The baptismal font.

Closeup of the baptismal font.

Inside St. James’s.

A different angle inside St. James’s.

Then, we took a double-decker bus through the city all the way across the Thames to Battersea to visit Saint Mary’s Church were Blake and Catherine were married. We almost got lost since there were a number of similar churchs in the area, but we managed to find the right one. The ladies in the church were a bit confused at first by our presence. But when I told them that we are Blake enthusiasts, they immediately understood.

Inside the double-decker bus!

St. Mary’s Church Battersea

View across the Thames.

Inside St. Mary’s.

Inside St. Mary’s: stained-glass window commemorating Blake.

Detail of stained glass.

Another detail of stained glass.

After that, we went to visit Blake’s grave at Bunhill Fields. It was a very old but charming cemetary, and it was fascinating watching them in the process of restoring some of the old crypts and tombstones. I left a simple offering at Blake’s gravestone — an apple — and also explored the green where Blake’s physical body is supposed to have been buried (I believe The Friends of William Blake are trying to raise money and/or petition for a special monument at Blake’s actual burial site).

Then, we went to visit Westminster Abbey. Here, I unfortunately got separated from Elena and Laura, and we couldn’t find each other again. 😦 But I’m glad I went, even though it was a bit overwhelming to take in. I especially enjoyed the Poets’ Corner where I saw commemorations to Lord Byron, Lewis Carroll and Blake among others.

Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower.

Approaching Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey!

I spy the London Eye!

The absolute highlight of my day — and possibly even my trip — was the British Museum’s Department of Prints and Drawings. I didn’t get to see all that much of the museum proper, but inside this department I was allowed to handle and examine an original print of Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. When I say “prints,” I mean a copy made by Blake himself on his own printing press!! I was able to see many of my favorite poems — “The Tyger,” “The Fly,” “The Sick Rose,” etc. The prints are indescribably complex and beautiful, and surprisingly tiny. It was amazing rereading these poems as they were originally meant to be read! After that, I enjoyed afternoon tea at the museum for a surprisingly reasonable price. And I ate every last sandwich, cake, and scone. 😀

Inside The British Museum.

Afternoon tea is about to commence.

Now I feel that my trip is complete.

I ate every last crumb!

Scones and clotted cream.

That was fun!

See ya’ later, British Museum!

Tomorrow, back to San Francisco!

***

Above is the last entry of the journal I wrote during my Cannes/London trip.

Overall, this trip was an amazing experience and I’m glad I was able to do almost everything I planned to.

I met so many amazing people along the way and was inspired by everything I encountered.

I began my day exploring Trafalgar Square and the surrounding area while waiting for the museums to open. I went from statue to statue, taking photos and reading inscriptions. Around the block, I found myself at Leicester Square where a statue of Shakespeare is under renovation.

I spent about an hour or so running around the National Portrait Gallery, which was a lot of fun since very few people were there so it felt as if I had the whole museum to myself. During this time, I discovered many interesting paintings and that sometimes the portrait is just as much about the subject as it is about the artist behind the scenes. I was particularly delighted that the portraits of William Blake, Lord Byron, and Lord & Mary Shelley were all in the same room. Also, I was excited to see Sir William Blake Richmond’s portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir John Everett Millais’s portrait of Sir Arthur Sullivan.

After that, I had an early lunch at The Chandos pub Opera Room — a cozy restaurant with fire places and stained glass windows — and ate the most incredible fish and chips I’ve ever had. Like the Portrait Gallery, I had this place too all to myself.

The Chandos pub.

Entrance to the Opera Room.

Inside the Opera Room.

Stained glass windows in the Opera Room.

Nothing like a fireplace on a rainy day.

Teatime!!

Fish and Chips to die for!

After lunch, I tried to take the Harrods bus tour, but it was sold out — which was fine by me. Instead, I bought some chocolates and candies at Harrods for later and had tea time at Café Liberty, inside the Liberty of London department store.

Harrods is quite over the top.

Difficult to resist all the candy and chocolates.

The famous Egyptian room.

Liberty of London.

Inside Liberty.

Can’t get enough of this architecture.

Can I film a movie in here?

Inside Café Liberty.

Teatime, again!!

Aromatic Darjeeling.

I have a weakness for lemon tart.

See you later, Liberty.

Green tea chocolate, marzipan, and Turkish delight from Harrods.

Around 7 p.m., I was reunited after three years with my great friend Elena and company for a Jack the Ripper walking tour. It was so wonderful to see Elena again and we all had a great time on the tour. The tour guide was very good, like an actor performing each character in every murder and theory. At the end, to rest our feet a bit before going home, we hung out at The Ten Bells pub — know as the Jack the Ripper Pub since the victim “…Annie Chapman may have drunk at the pub shortly before she was murdered.”